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Yesterday Comcast released their XFINITY TV app for iOS. Basically it’s a cleaned up TV Listings grid, updated On Demand guide, the ability to change the channel, set your DVR and (coming soon on the iPad) streaming content. These options are also available online via XfinityTV.com but having them in your phone makes it so much more relevant. Though I’ve seen the demo versions for months (I work at Comcast) it’s something else to use it in the real world.

The set-up was simple, especially since I’m already using the remote DVR service that was released earlier this year. Once inside the app the TV Listings scrolled through channels and hours with ease. After seeing the smoothness of this interaction you’ll wish all other grids could work this well. There’s still a ton of channels to browse through but way simpler then anything a set-top box can offer. There’s also a search feature should you already know what you want to watch but need to know where. The On Demand section is also way quicker to navigate then via the standard remote. And since you can instantly tune your TV to anything you can pull up in the app you may never pick up the old remote again.

Unlike many other iPhone remotes this one works over the Internet rather then your local WiFi so there is no start up time every time you take the phone out of sleep mode. It’s also great tool to mess with people watching TV as you can change the channel even if they’re the ones holding the TV remote. Granted my girlfriend didn’t enjoy this feature as much as I did.

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Not sure how many people have seen this months The New Yorker magazine’s cover (shown on right). What looks like a water color painting is really an illustration created on his iPhone. The app is called Brushes along with a companion app that will provide an animation/video of the process. The New Yorker’s blog offers more details and a video of the illustration being made using the companion app.

I never had a reason to go to Gatorade‘s website before but the link was sent to me from a designer friend of mine (Neuarmy). Once going there it was obvious as to why he shared it. Sporting the new aesthetic of the Gatorade “G” the site takes it to another level of sophistication rather then pure simplification. It’s an all Flash site boasting lots of black, simplified layouts, vibrant images and large video headers. Navigation is through the use of large black and white silhouettes for both the products and the athletes. Which acts as a great accent to a highlighted item and it’s inline videos. While you may learn more then you ever needed to about Gatorade check out the site for a great sample of extending a brand’s aesthetic across media.

Another gem sent my way from Neuarmy is by Boone Oakley and their use of YouTube for their website. Ok, so it sounds a bit like Skittles attempt to use Web 2.0 tools to stitch together a web experience…well this isn’t that. It’s literally their website embedded in humorous and (a touch) twisted little videos. Very innovative use of such a common medium and a great way for them to show off their conceptual/strategic muscle. They also feature some great work from that last few years, I’m sure you’ll recognize a few. Well worth checking out.